Halloween is just around the corner. Need some entertaining and fun ideas to please the friends, fiends and monsters in your life? Want a hauntingly fun party theme to entertain and amuse? It’s never too early to plan for some ghoulish party fun!

Instead of just a run of the mill Halloween themed party, kick it up a notch with some “deadly” ideas from the crypt keeper’s idea vault. Take a look at some of the ideas I’ve dug up for you Halloween fans. Try one or combine them for even more fun.

Dead Celebrities – Invite your friends and family to a star studded evening dressed as their favorite dead celebrity. Encourage your guests to think outside the box. The celebrities could include rock stars, authors or historical figures. This also includes mummies, zombies and vampires as well. It’s a fun way to raise the dead!

Villains and Heroes – Imagine James Bond, Austin Powers, Harry Potter and other heroes and villains all at the same party. Yeah, baby! Invite your guests to come dressed as their favorite TV, movie or book (including comics) character. Or for an interesting twist have your guests come dressed as a hero or villain they made up.

Cult Movie Character – What do The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Pulp Fiction, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Halloween all have in common? They’re cult classics! Invite your guests to dress as their favorite cult movie character. You can choose the movie theme for the party or just let your guests decide for themselves the character they want to be.

Massacre at the Oscars – Invite your guests to dress as their favorite movie stars (classic or modern) but they have to be injured, dead or murderers. It’s an “Oscars” party with a twist…a lot of blood and gore. Give away ghoulish trophies for the goriest, bloodiest, etc. at the end of the party. Use your imagination and think of the creepiest categories for the “winners.”

Rest-in-Peace Potluck – Not your average Halloween costume party. Invite your guests to bring a dish they’d choose for their last meal or a killer drink. Make it a contest. Have each guest explain why it’s their last meal. What crime did they commit? Award a prize for the top three most creative crimes. Break out the deathly decor and have an uncommonly good time!

Undead Wedding – Invite your guests come as dead or undead wedding guests. For an added touch have the crypt keeper be the ghoul of ceremonies and wed the undead couple as they exchange their creepy vows. Be sure to have plenty of black and red confetti on hand!

For added atmosphere be sure to put together a hauntingly fun playlist of party music. Make it a mix of the classic Halloween films like Ghostbusters, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Halloween and current favorites to set the mood and keep your ghouls happy. Be sure to set a spooky Halloween table complete with “gory” entrees and “bloody” snacks to keep the spirits up and the party goers satisfied. Let the fun and games begin!